The development comes after railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday directed railway board chairman to fix responsibility into the Utkal Express derailment in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: After the derailment of Utkal Express that claimed 23 lives in Khatauli, the government has taken action against many railway officials on Sunday including northern railway general manager R.N. Kulshrestha who has been sent on a leave.

Divisional railway manager (Delhi), member engineering (railway board) have also been sent on leave over derailment, says railways.

The development comes after railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday directed chairman, railway board, to fix responsibility on ‘prima facie evidence by the end of day’ into the derailment of the Utkal Express in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, Mohd Jamshed, member (traffic), railways had indicated that negligence could be the reason behind the derailment of the Utkal Express, and a probe would ascertain if any maintenance work was being done on the tracks without permission.